Hyphenated mass spectrometry

The UTS Hyphenated Mass Spectrometry (HyMaS) produces highly trained specialist mass spectrometry scientists for the pharmaceutical, biological, clinical, forensic and food and environmental industries. HyMaS brings together seven leading vendors in mass spectrometry and allied technologies in a new UTS purpose-built state of the art advanced analytical laboratory. HyMaS acts as an integrated proof of concepts industry hub where vendors, their customers, PhDs, Post-Doctoral scientists, and UTS academics routinely interact to tackle important and significant contemporary analytical challenges. HyMaS designs, produces and disseminates interactive digital modules for training undergraduate and post graduate students, professional scientists, vendor technicians and allied stakeholders in sample preparation, chromatographic and mass spectrometry theory, method validation, and detailed operational and troubleshooting approaches. These digital modules provide vendor specific training for the technologies within HyMaS focussed on value-adding to the academic and industry pipeline, and application specific validation approaches for end users.

Hyphenated mass spectrometry couples chromatographic methods such as liquid chromatography (LC), gas chromatography (GC), capillary electrophoresis (CE); and other sampling technologies such as laser ablation (LA). The addition of the sampling and separation technologies increases the complexity of the instrumentation, requiring highly trained scientists and technicians for precise and appropriate method development and application, data interpretation and instrument operation. The major challenge and potential threat to the continued growth of the sector and dependent industries is the shortage of appropriately trained and experienced specialist hyphenated mass spectrometry analytical chemists.